166 Days: My Journey Through The Darkness Read Online Free PDF

girlfriends; however, had different plans.
    “Jenn! Come on! It’ll be fun! We need a good night out on the town, just us girls! When was the last time we were all together and able to go dancing?” asked my friend Olivia.
    “I’m not sure,” was my response.
    “You see? You have to go! We are long overdue for a girls’ night!” After much persuasion they convinced me a night of country music and dancing was what I needed, so I reluctantly put my robe and slippers away and agreed to go. The whole way there I was regretting I let them talk me into putting up with the traffic, Las Vegas tourists, and loud music.
    As soon as I walked in I went to the bar, sat down and ordered my favorite drink at the time; cranberry and vodka, and began trying to convince myself I was going to have a good time. Then I looked up, across the bar and my eyes locked on the most amazing person I had ever seen. Greg Clark stood at the entrance, all six feet of him, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. It wasn’t that he was the most handsome man I had ever seen; however, that did help, but there was “something” about him that made me feel a way I had never felt before and I knew I had to talk to him. Now, I had been to bars before, and I had seen good looking guys, but this one…well he shook me to my core. My girlfriends saw the expression on my face and knew something was captivating me.
    “Jenn, what’s going on?” said Olivia.
    “You see that guy over there?” I said. “I have to talk to him. There is something about him that I am so taken with.” They saw the determination in my eyes and knew this was serious business so we strategically planted ourselves in a location where he and his friends were; in between us and the bar.
    After passing by several times, he finally noticed me too, and ironically his friends knew mine, which drew our groups together. Olivia made small talk with Greg’s friend, Eric, about the music, the night, the town, whatever she could think of, as Greg and I smiled and exchanged flirting glances with each other. After several moments Greg eventually looked at me and threw his hands in the air as if to say, “Are we going to talk or what?”
    I motioned for him to come over, he smiled and gave me the universal sign of “Just one minute.”
    I thought, Seriously? What is this guy waiting on ? I turned and said the exact same thing to Olivia, and as I turned around he was standing beside me. I immediately asked, “What took you so long, buddy?”
    He replied, “Well, I really liked that song, and wanted to finish listening to it.” I thought it was hilarious, which instantly broke the ice and our conversation began to flow freely.
    “I’m Jenn,” I said.
    “I’m Ryan…Ryan Sherwood,” Greg said. He was about to go on to tell me he was in Las Vegas on business. In fact, he was going to elaborate on how he was in town for a “Homeland Security Conference” as part of his very important job. Unfortunately I beat him to the punch.
    “You’re in the military, aren’t you?” I said.
    He looked at me with surprise and nodded.
    “Well, don’t look so surprised, Ryan. Your haircut gives you away. I’m military too. I’m stationed here, are you?”
    Again, he looked at me and nodded his head. We told each other the basics about ourselves; where we were from, what we did, he had a son; I had a cat. We laughed, and danced and had a great time.
    At one point, when we were sitting at the bar, he looked up at me and said bashfully, “Jenn, I have a confession to make.”
    Oh, here it comes , I thought! This guy is married and instead of one kid he has five! Of course he would! He’s too perfect otherwise .
    “Jenn, my name is not really Ryan, its Greg.”
    “What?”
    “Listen! We’re in a bar on the strip in Las Vegas,” he insisted. “You know as well as I do everyone you meet here is from out of town. What are the chances of meeting someone else who lives here, let alone someone who